Thorns of Life
by SakuraWindsS
Summary: In a world of Pokemon where there are soldiers, thieves, kings, and corruption, one thief must struggle to protect what he holds dear. But he must first figure out what it is that he holds dear and what is just a passing emotion.


The night was just getting dark. There were still Pokemon shopping around everywhere. The market didn't close for another hour. A Lucario moved through the crowd. He was handed but no one dared to bother him. He wore the mark of the king! He must be on important business!  
The Lucario muscled his way in between two Machoke who glared at him but kept moving. He eventually sat down behind a wall near the market. Not many Pokemon came by that way.  
Thorn sighed.  
'Guess this is home tonight,' he thought. He took his hood off. Underneath was a mess of hair and two, bright orange eyes. Eyes with a purpose.

Thorn glanced up at the rising full moon. He would strike the house tonight and then leave town. That was the plan. If everything went well he could take more than just money, maybe food too. There was still so much he wished he could do. He wished he could lead this city; he wished he could lead a peaceful life. He wished he could be known as a caring guy and not a rogue. But, sadly, situations hadn't allowed for that. No, Maron, the Machamp who was adviser to the king, and next in line, he begun to take over. King Eren, the Empoleon, was too old to notice. It seemed like every day he was fighting off a new disease or struggling to even stand. So, Maron had stepped in, and suddenly Thorn's fairy tale stories took shape. The good king got usurped and now the city was oppressed. Just like the stories Thorn had read in school so many years ago. But now- A sudden tug pulled him back to reality. Thorn looked to the right to see a little, wide-eyed Riolu staring up at him.

The Riolu jumped slightly and backed toward the Sylveon that was with him. He peered at the Riolu for a second. He could see that he was young, probably not even out of the schooling age. He was shaking a little bit, probably due to his fear and anticipation. But in his eyes, Thorn could see a bright determination. He glanced up at the Sylveon. The Sylveon, Thorn noticed, was about his age. Tall and slender, pretty but strong. Catching his eye, she looked back down at the Riolu. Thorn's eyes followed. The Riolu, hands shaking, was holding out some bread.  
"S-sir, you l-looked hungry... I-I wanted to give this t-t-to you."  
Thorn stared for a second. The Riolu was so sweet and innocent. Thorn could feel a warmth start to crawl up his spine. He took the bread, somewhat gruffly.  
'This is who I'm fighting for! This is who I'm saving!' he thought. He felt his face flush ever so slightly and shoved the heroics to the back of his mind. The Riolu, upon having the bread fairly ripped out of his hand jumped back again. He recovered and slowly gained confidence.  
"A-are you a soldier, sir?" Thorn glanced at the Sylveon who was smiling at him. He looked back at bread and smirked.  
"You could say that, I guess."  
The Riolu, confused, looked at the Sylveon who nodded. The Riolu's face lit up.  
"I've- I've always wanted to be a soldier! Is it hard?"  
At this the Sylveon laughed a bit. Thorn stared at him incredulously. He'd never heard of someone who had _wanted_ to become a soldier. Luckily, for him, the Sylveon saved him the effort of answering.  
"Come on, Ahmi, time to go home!" She offered the Riolu her hand and he reluctantly accepted.  
"Aw, okay." Thorn watched the pair of them go. Something about her really set him on edge. He watched them until they disappeared behind a corner. He sighed and silently thanked them for their gift. He hadn't eaten all day and was going to need the strength for tonight.

Pokemon were beginning to disperse as night began to cover the district. Some of the night lurkers were beginning to come out. The market began to close down. The night watch was coming! Everyone knew what that meant! Maron's guards would come and take anyone's money who they saw out on street.  
"Well, if it isn't Thorn," a feminine voice came from above him. Thorn looked up to see an Umbreon perched above him. He looked down again, glaring straight ahead.  
"Hello, Ren." Ren smirked as she jumped down and sat next to him. She looked him up and down and patted his shoulder.  
"Stole some armor I see! Which unlucky soldier?"  
Thorn ignored her and moved slightly away.  
"Aw, what's the matter Thorn? Not happy to see me?"  
"Not particularly," he grumbled looking away. She rolled her eyes and scooted closer.  
"So where are we hitting tonight?" she asked enthusiastically.  
"Yeah, Thorn. Where?" An oddly colored Ninetales walked out of the shadows. His fur was singed an unnaturally deep shade of blue which darkened to black near the ends.  
"Well, if it isn't the walking accident himself," Thorn snorted. The Ninetales glared at him.  
"You will call me by my name, Thorn," he threatened. Thorn raised an eyebrow.  
"Or else what, Barro?"  
Barro growled and flicked a small fireball into the sky. Thorn rolled his eyes.  
"Ladies, you done?" Ren asked.  
"Thorn hasn't answered my question," Barro said slyly. Ren looked at Thorn expectantly. Thorn sighed dismissively.  
"We're robbing the Baron himself," he said in an almost inaudible whisper. Ren raised an eyebrow and Barro growled.  
"I suppose you'll get the biggest share to yourself Thorn?"  
"Of course."  
"So you can buy a fancy house and the rest of us in the dust?"  
Thorn snarled. He knew that his relationship with Barro had always been tense, but with so much on the line he really didn't need to be squabbling with him right now.  
"With all the money I've already gotten I would have already done that."  
Barro grinned.  
' _Gotcha!_ ' he thought.  
"So then, where has this money gone? Into savings? Burned or lost? Given away to the poor?" At the last remark Barro smiled at Thorn in triumph. Thorn glared back at him.  
"That breaks our vow, Thorn. We swore we'd live for us. Giving to the poor instead of us? We have right to kill you for that, you know."  
"You can think what you'd like. You have no proof." Thorn spat.  
"LADIES!" Ren glared at them both. They glared back.  
"Can we just go?" She stood up and began to scamper across the rooftops. Thorn quickly got up and followed her.  
"I don't have proof, yet, Thorn," growled Barro.

Saki walked along the road with Ahmi. It was a bit of a spectacle to see the young Riolu dance around the Sylveon singing war songs. Saki had tried to quiet him but everyone already knew: Maron had practically waged war on the city and its inhabitants. By declaring that all males upon reaching evolution must join the army, and forcing their parents to pay for them... He was practically making the parents pay for their sons' deaths. The adviser waged war so often that many families hoped and prayed that they would only have daughters to spare them from heartache; and the ones who did have sons found no joy in it.  
"Ahmi, please, do be quiet! I know you're excited and all but still... it's bedtime for many of us!" Saki's sweet voice pleaded. Ahmi smiled at her and hummed a bit.  
He really liked being with Saki. Ever since his mother died he had felt a hole in his life. She filled it. She might only be his teacher but to him she was a second home. Besides, he had head his father practicing his proposal!  
Once they reached the house, Ahmi ran to the door where a Gallade stood smiling and waving. Saki smiled and waved back. The pair walked up to the door.  
"Hello Saki!"  
"Hello Bryan!" She smiled at him sweetly.  
"How was my Ahmi today?" he asked beaming at his son.  
"Oh, wonderful as usual! He needs to sharpen up his comprehension a bit, but everything else is improving well!"  
"Don't we all?" Bryan joked. Saki laughed her contagious laugh. Bryan couldn't help but join in. She patted Ahmi's head and sighed.  
"Well, I'd better get home." She turned to leave.  
"Oh, Saki wait!" Saki turned around slightly.  
"Yes?"  
"Do you want to meet me tomorrow for coffee at the Plaza? My treat!" Bryan asked somewhat bashfully, trying to hide the anticipation in his voice. Saki paused. A slight smile played at her lips.  
"That would be great!" she said smiling. Bryan, relieved, laughed a bit.  
"Great! See you then?"  
"See you then!" Saki waved goodbye and walked back the way she came.

She smiled to herself. So, she had found a date again had she? Hopefully this one wouldn't turn out like the last. She couldn't deal with a second broken heart. But she had known Bryan for a while now and he was a wonderful guy. He was kind, generous, and a loving father. His son was a sweetheart and a wonderful student.  
She hummed to herself slightly as she passed through the market. She remembered the soldier she had seen there. He had something about him... She would tell just what but it made her feel... different... off even. She didn't know if it was just her general dislike of soldiers and war or if it was something about his physique that set her on edge. In general, she tried to keep a nice, happy atmosphere around her. He reeked of danger and troubles.  
She walked over to where he had been before. There she found a broken pair of gauntlets and part of the bread Ahmi had given him. She became indignant and turned on her heel homeward.  
'How dare he! Was our bread not good enough for him?' she huffed. 'Easy Saki, he probably had his reasons,' she told herself. She began the short trek homeward.

Saki loved walking down this road. The houses were all so beautiful and seemed to compliment the gardens and sidewalks. She took a fair amount of pride in her village. As she walked by she could remember the times she had helped weed the garden here, or remove a stump there. She'd put a lot of work into trying to make this village just a little more beautiful. When she reached her house she turned to the house across the way. It was a very well built and rich house. She gave the house a polite nod before turning in for the night.

"Thorn! When can we go in?" Ren hissed. They were perched outside the Baron's window. He had fallen asleep a few minutes ago but Thorn didn't want to risk waking him.  
"Guys! The neighbor across the way is still up!" Barro whispered. "She just went in, the little cutie." He snickered at his own thoughts.  
Thorn snarled. "Focus, Barro."  
A while passed and the neighbor hadn't turned off her lights. Thorn took watch and watched the light intently. A couple of minutes passed. Minutes that felt like hours. Thorn could feel the nerves rise with every second, but he waited. He had to get this right.  
"That's it! I'm going in!" Ren began to descend onto the outer window sill.  
"Ren!" Thorn growled. Barro quickly followed her. "Barro! You idiots!" Thorn began to go but he heard the neighbor opening her windows. He turned back to see her staring straight at him. He froze. Could she see him? He quickly took in his surroundings without moving.  
' _It could be she's looking at the moon or something.'  
_ He had better not risk it.

Saki stared out at the moon. It was a beautiful, full moon tonight. Not a cloud in sight. She smiled. Then a small movement caught her eye. On top of the Baron's house there seemed to be a spire that she never remember existed. But behind the spire something was moving. It was cautiously approaching the spire with intent and something in its hand.  
Suddenly there was a whack and a cry of pain. She watched as what she had thought was a spire suddenly crumple and tumble off the roof.

The last thing Thorn remembered was staring at the Sylveon frantically trying to figure out what to do and then- blackness.  
Saki gasped as the Pokemon fell. It plummeted from the top of the house straight down into the front yard. Letting out a yelp she ran out of her house toward the body. There was no movement from inside the Baron's house.  
Barro growled with satisfaction as he saw and quickly warned Ren. Thy scampered out of the house and ran away into the night.  
Saki reached the body and found it to be the same Lucario she had met in the market earlier that day. He was bleeding but still breathing. The armor he had on had been crushed so she couldn't see if there were any broken bones. Luckily, the armor had taken the brunt of the impact.

Saki quickly knocked furiously on the door. It was a moment before the Vanilluxe came out.  
"Sir, I'm sorry but this poor Pokemon just fell off your roof!" Saki pointed at Thorn who stirred a bit. Saki saw and immediately ran to his side.  
"Sir, are you badly hurt? Can you speak?" The Baron butted his way in.  
"You do realize that this Pokemon is probably a thief correct? You are both on private property! I shall have you arrested at once! Both of you!" he declared in a large voice. Thorn, holding his side, slowly got up. He flashed the Sylveon a look and indicated the royal crest on his should to the Baron.  
"That makes no difference, soldier!" the Baron snorted. "I'll have you fined!"  
"Sir!" Saki exclaimed. "I'm sure there's-"  
"Robbers..." came Thorn's gruff response. "On your roof. I tried to... stop them. Check your money..." Wide-eyed, the Baron rushed inside to see if his fountains of money had been found and pilfered. Thorn collapsed and Saki tried to catch him.  
"Sir, will you come back to my house please? To heal!"  
Thorn, unable to respond, lay there.


End file.
